Gourmet food trucks to serve delicious food at the Fall Faire, happening November 17 and 18

At this year’s Fall Faire, happening November 17 and 18 at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds in Antioch, Off the Grid of San Francisco will provide gourmet food trucks at the event.

Off the Grid is a roaming mobile food extravaganza — bringing delicious food, with free sides of music, craft and soul to the event. They will provide all your favorite gourmet food vendors in one place, which means Faire-goers can enjoy gourmet cuisine from all around the Bay Area.

While visiting the Fall Faire and noshing on your favorite food, take time to visit the two exhibit buildings filled with unique crafts and gifts from vendors, crafters and local businesses. This is a great way to get a head start on that holiday shopping!

This year, reduced admission price is being offered, a discount is provided to those who take the bus, and free parking is provided. The Fall Faire begins Saturday, November 17, and runs through Sunday, November 18. The hours are 10 am – 5 pm on Saturday, and 10 am – 3 pm on Sunday. Admission is $3 for adults, and children 12 and under are free. Parking is free. If you ride the bus to the event, you will receive $1 off admission.

The Contra Costa County Fairgrounds is located at 1201 West 10^th Street in Antioch. For more information, visit the Fairgrounds website at www.ContraCostaFair.com or call the Fairgrounds Office at (925) 757-4400.

By Sergeant Morefield, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at approximately 9:12 PM, the Antioch Police Department received a report of a shooting at the Delta Pines apartments located at 2301 Sycamore Drive. Officers responded to apartment #43 where they found a 32 year-old Antioch man, deceased from an apparent gunshot wound. In the room near the victim was what appeared to be an improvised explosive device.

The Walnut Creek Police Bomb Squad was summoned, and they were able to determine that the suspicious object was not an explosive device. It was removed from the apartment without incident. The homicide is currently being investigated by the Antioch Police Department.

It’s Antioch’s sixth homicide of the year.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Joannides with the Antioch Police Department at (925)779-6931.

Any further information or additional press releases will be provided by the Investigations Bureau at (925) 779-6939. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH

Cosponsored by Storytelling Association of California

Saturday, November 10, 2012

3:00 to 5:00pm

Antioch Public Library

501 W 18th St., Antioch

Tickets, $12  at the door

OLGA LOYA  —  As an international Latina storyteller, Olga uses a dramatic mix of Spanish and English to share traditional tales from Latin America as well as stories from her own colorful life.

GARTH GILCHRIST —  Garth tells tales of the living earth and our connection to nature’s wildness.  Heartfelt stories of people interfacing with nature have lasting impact.

LAURIE PINES —  Laurie knows how to adapt; her experiences in the Peace Corps and the high school classrooms taught her that!  Now she likes to weave and twist tales, adapting for the audience to bring you surprise and humor.  

ANDREI ARMEANU  —  An emerging teller, Andrei uses archetypal metaphors in his stories to weave listeners and communities together.  He tells of mystical and mythical worlds. 

KIRK WALLER, MC  —  Kirk will MC with high energy to present our tellers of the afternoon. He has told his own stories at the Bay Area Storytelling Festival and at the National Storytelling Festival in Tennessee.

For more information contact deltawordweavers@att.net or visit https://sites.google.com/site/deltawordweavers/ or 925-437-1360.

As part of the Highway 4 (SR-4) widening construction work, the contractor will begin installing temporary supports at Loveridge Road for the construction of the new bridge. In order to ensure crew and public safety during this work, the contractor will close all lanes of SR-4 in the westbound direction overnight during the next several weeks. The closures will take place on Sunday through Thursday evenings from 11:00 pm to 3:30 am and on Friday evenings from 11:59 pm to 6:00 am.

The detour for this work will be as follows:

o Westbound motorists will be directed off the highway at Somersville Road/Auto Center Drive exit, left on Auto Center Drive, left on Tenth Street, straight on Pittsburg Antioch Highway, left on Loveridge Road, right on California Avenue, and left onto the westbound SR-4 on-ramp. For detour map, please see attached.

Motorists are advised to expect delays and allow extra time for their commute. Please drive with caution through the detours and leave a safe traveling distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you. Caltrans and CCTA appreciate your patience as we work to improve the highways. For the most current information on all SR-4 corridor closures please visit our web site at: http://widensr4.org.

Valley View Hike

Saturday, November 17, 8 a.m.

Meet at County Line Staging Area Next to South Watershed Entrance Kiosk

Join Naturalist John Mottashed on a moderately strenuous, hilly, south watershed hike that will offer excellent views of the reservoir and Livermore Valley. You’ll need drinking water, sturdy hiking shoes, hat, snacks and sunscreen.

Directions: Take the new Vasco Road toward Livermore, turn right onto Los Vaqueros Road and drive to the entrance kiosk.

For information, call (925) 688-8010 on weekdays and (925) 240-2440 on weekends.

Parking fee is $4 per car for CCWD area residents, $6 for non-residents, and $5 for non-resident seniors.

Post Black Friday Hike

Saturday, November 24, 10 a.m. to Noon

Join Naturalist Briana Moore on a moderately strenuous, 5-mile loop hike to work off your Thanksgiving dinner and holiday stress. Meet at the Interpretive Center and plan to climb some hills. Bring at least 2 liters of water, sturdy hiking shoes, hat, snacks and sunscreen.

Directions: Take the Highway 4 Bypass through Brentwood and turn right on Walnut Boulevard before you drive onto new Vasco Road. Continue driving on Walnut Boulevard 2 miles into the watershed and to the end of the road, next to the Los Vaqueros Dam.

For information, call (925) 688-8010 on weekdays and (925) 240-2440 on weekends.

Parking fee is $4 per car for CCWD area residents, $6 for non-residents, and $5 for non-resident seniors.

For more information visit www.ccwater.com/losvaqueros.

On Friday, November 9, 2012, Joshua Perry, age 31 and Felicia Viscaina, age 25 have been arrested in the Thursday, November 8, 2012 murder of 44 year-old Antioch resident, Vaughn Walker.

This homicide appears to have occurred after an argument over money.

Viscaina and Perry were arrested in Antioch at approximately 4:30 a.m., Friday, November 9, 2012 by Antioch Police officers and detectives.

They were both interviewed and later sent to the Martinez Detention Facility. The Antioch Police Department will be seeking murder charges against the duo next week.

By Barbara Zivica

After election returns were in, I asked my dog (see his official photo which heads my column) what his take was on the election results. His answer – RUFF! RUFF!

Going in Gary Agopian seemed to be the expected winner of the Mayor’s chair but Wade Harper got the nod instead. (Harper 40.87% of the vote vs. Agopian’s 32.91%) Agopian, however, has a safe council seat and won’t be up for re-election until November 2014. Don Freitas only got 20.38% of the vote and Michael Leon 5.52%.

In the council race, I was surprised that Mary Rocha (24.41% of the vote) who has spent 16 years on the council and four as mayor, and Monica Wilson (23.17% of the vote), who had little name recognition, edged out Jim Davis (22.43% of the vote) who ran for council instead of re-election for Mayor. Walter Ruehlig pulled 17.80% of the vote and Noel Pinto 11.88%. I think what enabled the women to win was strong backing and turnout from the Democratic party and union trade group members.

The numbers I quote don’t include all the vote by mail ballots that were turned in at the polls or the provisional ballots. The Elections Department has 28 days to certify but they might have it done by Thanksgiving. That could change the outcomes of some elections, especially Jim Davis or Monica Wilson since there’s less than 300 votes separating them.

What concerns me now is how the new council will decide to fill the vacant council seat when Harper assumes the position of Mayor.

What council should do, did in the past but didn’t do back in 2008, is appoint the candidate who came in third. That candidate was Arne Simonsen. Council actually sent out a casting call and after many rounds of interviews and pointed questioning, ended up choosing Martha Parsons, a Democratic political consultant, who hadn’t even run for council.

Should it turn out that Monica Wilson’s lead holds and Jim Davis comes in third, let’s hope council does the right thing this time and seats him in the position left open after Wade Harper is sworn in as Mayor.

Last but not least, congrats to Arne Simonson who handily won election to the City Clerk Position.